Kriti Mehrotra
Although Simone Biles needs no introduction as she is one of the greatest gymnastics athletes of all time, there’s no denying she has had her fair share of ups and downs along the way. In fact, as explored in Netflix’s ‘Simone Biles: Rising,’ it started back when she was a mere toddler as she had to spend around six to nine months in foster care before going into family custody.
Simone Biles’ Mother Struggled With Substance Abuse
It was March 14, 1997, when Simone was born to Shanon Biles as her third child, only for her life to not be easy in any way, shape, or form because of her mother’s alcohol as well as drug abuse. The truth is her biological father, Kelvin Clemons, was never in the picture, which is why when Child Protective Services came, she, along with her siblings, were all entered into the system as children of the state. She was merely three at the time, but thankfully, her biological maternal grandparents stepped up and managed to secure not just visitation but full custody through adoption soon, which finally gave her stability.
Simone and her younger sister Adria were adopted by Ron and Neillie Biles, so they relocated to Spring, Texas, while their elder siblings, Ashley and Tevin, were taken in by Shanon’s aunt as their own in their native state of Ohio itself. “When we signed the [adoption] papers, it was like my dad flipped a switch on me,” Shanon candidly told The Daily Mail in 2016. “No communication, don’t call, and don’t visit. That’s how it was at the beginning… It took me six years before I saw my children again. I was respecting my dad to let the kids transition, he felt that was the best thing for them. It was hard to give up my kids, but I had to do what I had to, I wasn’t able to care for them. I was still using, and he didn’t want me coming in and out of their lives when I wasn’t right.”
Shanon Biles Stays in Touch With Her Children
However, once Shanon did get better and got to reconnect with her children, she seemingly never let them go again. She understands she is not a motherly figure in their lives, but she’s glad she at least gets to be a part of it. In fact, she has since revealed that she and Simone actually mended fences before the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, yet she couldn’t make it to the actual events to show her support to her daughter as she simply couldn’t afford it.
“When I talk to Simone, it’s a brief conversation, like, ‘I miss you, I love you, I can’t wait to see you, I’m proud of you, I’m watching. You go girl,'” Shanon further clarified. “It’s never anything personal. I want to tell her what really happened when I was younger, but I keep on waiting for the right time… I feel like I have no rights. [My parents] were raising her, working with her, doing this and that. And who am I? I’m outside looking in. Even though I’m her biological mom, I have to respect them.”
Shanon Biles is Still Based in Ohio
Even though Shanon’s life itself has not been ideal owing to her substance issues, it appears as if she has since made strides — she is now apparently sober and raising her two youngest children on her own. According to the last reports, this Ohio resident has also had her fair share of run-ins with the law, but her last reported arrest was in 2021, and it seems like she has since been doing her best to turn over a new leaf. In fact, from what we can tell, Shanon Biles currently serves as a cashier in a fast food restaurant and as a caregiver at a local facility to provide for her little family in every way she can, all the while supporting her other children from afar.
Read More: Ron and Nellie Biles: Where Are Simone Biles’ Parents Now?
